Soviet Union national ice hockey team
The Soviet national ice hockey team, or USSR national ice hockey team, was the national hockey team of the Soviet Union. The Soviets were the most dominant team of all time in international play. The team won nearly every world championships and Olympic tournament between 1954 and 1991 held by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). Due to the questionable nature of the amateur status of the Soviet players, their participation in the Olympics was questioned. The controversy was about the IIHF's definition of amateurs and professionals. However, the Soviets were generally dominant in amateur and professional tournaments alike. After 1991, the Soviet team competed as the Unified Team at the 1992 Winter Olympics and as the Commonwealth of Independent States at the 1992 World Championships. In 1993, it was replaced by national teams for Belarus, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine. The IIHF recognized the Russian as the successor to the Soviet Union team and passed its ranking on Russia. The other national hockey teams were considered new and sent to compete in Pool C. The IIHF Team of the Century included four Soviet-Russian players out of a team of six. Goalie Vladislav Tretiak, defenseman Vyacheslav Fetisov and forwards Valeri Kharlamov and Sergei Makarov who played for the Soviet teams in the 1970s and the 1980s were voted on to the IIHF Centennial All-Star Team in a poll conducted by a group of 56 experts from 16 countries. At the 1984 Canada Cup the Soviets sent a team whose players all shot with left-handed sticks. Stats Leading scorers (Olympics, World Championships, Canada Cups, 1972 Summit Series) #Sergei Makarov - 248 points #Aleksandr Maltsev - 213+ points #Valeri Kharlamov - 199 points #Boris Mikhailov - 180 points #Vladimir Petrov - 176 points Note: All of the top five scorers were on the 1980 Olympic team that lost to the United States in the Miracle on Ice. Note: Maltsev has at least 213 points from his goals, and possibly more, but an accurate number for his assists cannot be found. World Championships record * 1954 - Gold medal winner * 1955 - Silver medal winner * 1957 - Silver medal winner * 1958 - Silver medal winner * 1959 - Silver medal winner * 1961 - Bronze medal winner * 1962 - Did not participate * 1963 - Gold medal winner * 1965 - Gold medal winner * 1966 - Gold medal winner * 1967 - Gold medal winner * 1969 - Gold medal winner * 1970 - Gold medal winner * 1971 - Gold medal winner * 1972 - Silver medal winner * 1973 - Gold medal winner * 1974 - Gold medal winner * 1975 - Gold medal winner * 1976 - Silver medal winner * 1977 - Bronze medal winner * 1978 - Gold medal winner * 1979 - Gold medal winner * 1981 - Gold medal winner * 1982 - Gold medal winner * 1983 - Gold medal winner * 1985 - Bronze medal winner * 1986 - Gold medal winner * 1987 - Silver medal winner * 1989 - Gold medal winner * 1990 - Gold medal winner * 1991 - Bronze medal winner Summit Series record *1972 - Lost to Canada *1974 - Won series against Canada Canada Cup record * 1976 - Finished in 3rd place * 1981 - Won championship * 1984 - Lost semifinal * 1987 - Lost final * 1991 - Finished in 5th place Challenge Cup and Rendez-vous vs. NHL all-stars * 1979 - Won series * 1987 - Won series on aggregate External links * Hockey CCCP International * 1972 Summit Series.com * Canada Versus the Soviet Union (1972-1987) Category:National teams